Students sustain President Monson

Students of BYU-Idaho and people around the world expressed words of love and appreciation for President Thomas S. Monson after he appeared physically weak during his general conference address.

“It’s amazing that we are able to listen to him and hear from his words, for guidance, so that we know what to do, especially in time of trials because this world is really hard and it definitely helps with prophets and apostles,” said Riley Estes, a freshman majoring in general studies. “I love President Monson.”

President Monson has been a general authority since he was 36 years old. He became the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 7years ago.

“I know that President Monson is a prophet of the Lord,” said Karah Schaser, a sophomore studying elementary education. “This last weekend, we had the opportunity to hear from him and to watch him stand as a witness of the Lord. President Monson speaks to all the world, and he gives us courage, he gives us advice and lets us know what the Lord expects of us.”

Katelyn Gutierrez, a young girl who went to the Salt Lake City for the first time to watch general conference, said the only expectations she had were to see the Prophet. She said she always saw some of his pictures, but she really wanted to meet him in person.

“When the prophet walked in, I had a warm feeling inside, and it was cool when the room just got quiet,” said Corrine Priamos, a girl who watched the Saturday afternoon session in the Conference Center.

After the Sunday morning session, Greg Trimble, a blogger, published an article on his blog www.gregtrimbler.com called, “I Wish I Could Have Come and Held You Up.” He talked about many responsibilities and difficulties that President Monson has and that he lost three of his best friends, and he was the one lifting everybody up.

“How does a person get to sleep at night with that kind of burden and yet here he was Sunday morning, speaking first, ramping up the strength to stand up once again and bring messages of goodness to all of those that love, respect, and look up to this Christian soldier,” Trimble said.

Cody Haas, a sophomore studying health science, said President Monson is an example of selfless service and sacrifice.

“He is such an example of Christlike love, and Christlike attributes, and now as he is getting older, I think it’s hard for everyone to watch that because we all love him,” Haas said. “We all know that he is a prophet of God. He has a character of Christ, and we all strive to be like that.”

Haas said that he wanted to hold President Monson up and wanted to help him.

“I love him with all my heart,” Schaser said.

In the first weekend of October, President Monson addressed the entire world and said that faith and doubt cannot coexist. He said one will cancel out the other.

“Of Him I testify,” President Monson said. “He is our Savior and Redeemer, our Advocate with the Father. He is our exemplar and our strength. He is ‘the light which shineth in darkness.’ That each of us within the sound of my voice may pledge to follow him, thus becoming a shining light to the world, is my prayer.”